The best part of living in Carrington, according to new resident Jeff D’Silva, is the skateboard park.

As a pro skateboarder, YouTuber and skateboard instructor, Calgary-born D’Silva is thrilled that Mattamy Homes included this amenity for residents in its master plan for Carrington, located north of Stoney Trail and east of 14th Street N.

As a family man, he hopes it’s something his kids will appreciate as they grow.

The park may be gnarly, but it’s not the sole reason why he and wife Jacqueline purchased a new home there. The couple, who welcomed their third child on Jan. 19, had been looking for a larger home close to Evanston, one neighbourhood over from Carrington. It was a three-bedroom laned home, which began to look a little small with another child on the way.

“We knew we wanted an extra bedroom upstairs and a garage. We didn’t want to stray too far, as my parents are in Kincora and it’s good to have people close by,” he says.

The D’Silvas loved Mattamy’s Riedel model home in Carrington, a 2,158-square-foot, two-storey, 2.5-bathroom home with three bedrooms and a loft option. They chose a fourth bedroom over a loft and opted for basement development, too.

“In our previous house, we were fortunate to have my dad finish the basement for us. It had dedicated play space for the kids and a home theatre system. I’m not super handy — I can’t hammer a nail into a wall for the life of me,” Jeff says.

The family moved into their home right before Christmas and because of the new baby, Jeff says they’ll need lots of time to settle in. The basement has great storage, a playroom and an art room, where soon the kids can paint, Jacqueline can craft and make costumes and Jeff can set up a green screen and video equipment.

“It’s important to build creativity into where we live,” Jeff says. “We just have to get organized.”

Priced from $532,990, the Riedel is one of Mattamy’s larger models, with the optional fourth bedroom and plenty of extra space sprinkled throughout the home, says senior marketing manager Karla Schultz.

“There’s a bath oasis option in the master ensuite, a large kitchen with extensive, customizable cabinetry with a walk-in pantry and an eating or buffet area. We’ve included a mudroom off the garage with a built-in stop and drop area to help keep busy families organized,” she says.

Mattamy has 30-, 60- and 90-day possession single-family homes on 31-foot and 38-foot lots starting at $459,900 and $499,900. Shultz says they’re offering exclusive mortgage rates through First Calgary Financial on all home types in Carrington.

“The big bonus here is you can work with one team to find the right home that works with your budget — you don’t have to jump around visiting multiple sales centres. Everything is in one spot for you,” she says.

The large park in the community is finished, including Jeff’s beloved skate park with an intricate artistic canopy above it. There’s also a half basketball court, playground and soon, a commercial area on the north side of the park. There are walking paths around the storm water pond and environmental reserve that connect to the Rotary Mattamy Greenway.

When he’s not creating or dreaming of sunny days at the skate park, Jeff works downtown as a business consultant. He and Jacqueline spent time in Los Angeles while earning an MBA, interning at the Conan O’Brien show before returning to Calgary to start their family. He says the commute downtown (Centre Street is his preferred route) is just 30 minutes. His parents are 10 minutes down Stoney Trail and it’s a quick drive to his in-laws in Cochrane.

“A lot of my friends live in the core and I think people don’t know the amenities that are popping up here in the northwest. There are lots of little restaurants around here and even the people that live here are younger and family-oriented. It’s got the cool factor of downtown — I feel like we belong here,” Jeff says.

THE DETAILS

HOME: The RiedelCOMMUNITY: Carrington, in Calgary’s northwest.DEVELOPER/BUILDER: Mattamy HomesMODEL: The Riedel, a two-storey, front-attached garage home with 2,158 square feet, three bedrooms and a loft or fourth bedroom.PRICE: From $532,900 before basement developmentINFORMATION:mattamyhomes.com